Stuff that is “out of date” but useful replacments for recent existing bikes, such as high end 10 and 11 speed cassettes etc.

Everything out of stock and luckily I don’t need anything now.

But will they be making any more? Or am I going to be forced into 12 speed (new mech, shifter and freehub, for likely £500+) when my current stuff wears out?

Yes.

And a 12 speed groupset can be had for a lot less than £500.

But will they be making any more?

My guess is they will keep making stuff as long as it’s selling and profitable. If it’s just CNC machining, then probably not a big deal to crank out a batch. If it’s XTR carbon fiber and titanium stuff, they probably want that end of the market to move on to new stuff.

Deore is available in 10,11,12 speed flavour.
In fact I just bought a new 11speed deore shifter as it’s ispec ev and will attach to my new slx brakes despite me not running 12 speed.

And a 12 speed groupset can be had for a lot less than £500.

Deore is available in 10,11,12 speed flavour.

Its not end of the world, and I do hear that new 12spd deore is lovely. But I’d still consider it a downgrade from 10spd XT.

I’d resent paying *some* more money for a notional downgrade, as much as paying *a lot* of money to get an equal quality (XT or X01) group with 2 more speeds.

XO1 is XTR trail
GX is nearer XT

XT 12speed, buying the bits you need, rather than the whole set (so no cranks essentially) is 350ish, less when there’s more stock around.

I get what you’re saying. I’ve got a lovely saint shifter in the shed but my 10s 11-46 cassette is knackered so have had to “upgrade” to 11 speed..

If Sram and Shimano stop making 10 and 11 speed stuff, someone like Sunrace will continue to make them and earn a fortune.

XT 10 speed still supported. 11-32/34/36 cassettes all due back next Summer 😳

I’ve got a lovely saint shifter in the shed but my 10s 11-46 cassette is knackered so have had to “upgrade” to 11 speed..

I’d look at the Microshift 10s stuff to go with that.

And generally, Sunrace do some great alternatives to Shimano and Sram cassettes in HG or XD format. Very durable too, IME (apart from the lockrings can be a bit flimsy).

Yeah it’s a sunrace 11-46 that I’ve worn out… the microshift 11-48 looks interesting. Im sure it will be used again at some point in the future. Need new jockey wheels for the mech I ran it with too…

I’d resent paying *some* more money for a notional downgrade

I went from XT (with bits of XTR) 10sp to XO1 12sp, I don’t think it’s a downgrade TBH. Certainly hasn’t made any different to my riding enjoyment.

Third party for consumables – e.g. BBB for jockeys, miles better than the SRAM onces and half the price.

I’m running 3 x 7 on my old MTB (used alot for general training and now commuting) and two road bikes running 8 speed (Dura Ace and Uletgra). Both FS’s are 2 x 10.

If I smash a mech, I’d have to hunt ebay for used ones. Cassettes, I can’t get DA quality cassettes so it’s buying any 8 speed cassette and butchering it – remove the plastic spacers, and replace with the shiny alloy ones. I have to use the bottom 13T sprocket as the cassette and freehub is Uniglide, so it also means getting the dremmel out to make the ‘wide’ HG splines narrow on each sprocket !

I had to buy a PG1070 cassette recently rather than a 1050 as there was no stock – slightly more expensive, and I got blingy alloy spacers and spider, not black !

Shifters rarely fail (unless road brifters).

My issue now is chain rings for the old MTB. Really have to hunt hard on ebay, and I managed a lightly used big ring recently. Spares are NOS from America, at big cost.

Even rings for my 2 x 10 SRAM, £50 minimum from European sellers. Nearer £100 UK. Very rare now.